Mattel has once again provided answers to your questions.
Thanks again to them for taking the time to answer these!
Check out their answers to your Round 53 questions!

This round of questions were selected by Eamon,
and proofed against old Q&As by Uncle Montork.
Thanks to them for their help!

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1. nanoFatato:
When/if Slush Head shows up, is possible to make a fillable helmet? This way it can be filled with water directly by collectors, avoiding all the security problems that comes with toys sold with liquid. The same could be done for Mosquitor.

We suppose most ideas could be “possible”, but in all honestly there is not a Slush Head figure in development right now so discussions simply haven’t taken place. When, and if, we get to Slush Head you will be sure we will take fan comments like this to the table to make sure we do Slush Head right!

2. zodak74:
Are vehicles from the 2002 line on the table for re-doing in MOTUC style (War Whale, Battle Ram Chariot, etc), or just
the original MOTU toys (Wind Raider, Attak Trak, etc)?

They certainly are available, but our focus will remain on the vintage vehicles first. We’ll have to see how the first vehicle does in the fall before looking into any future executions.

3. motufan425:
For characters such as Sweet Bee, Flutterina and Peakablue who have long hair as well as the wings on their backs, how will their hair be designed as to not hinder the wing movement?

Same comment as Slushhead above on this one. Neither of these figures are in development right now so discussion like this simply has not taken place. While we have character selection and roll out thought out well in advance, actual execution and development discussions have not taken place.

4. Sabretooth:
When MossMan was flocked you mentioned that you flocked some test-figures prior to that just to see how flocking
works with all the MOTUC articulation. Did you try to test flocking on BattleCat/Panthor too? If so, will you please post pictures of this test-flock so that fans can see how a flocked MOTUC Panthor would potentially appear?

Since the vote went for unflocked Panthor, we never actually developed or looked into the flocked version for this release. We have such limited resources for the MOTUC line that we just don’t have the time to spare mocking up figures that are not scheduled for release.

5. CanadaClassics:
The Palace Guards 2-packs as army builders are fantastic because of their many variations. When/if you guys get to the Horde Trooper, will you create enough "variation" to make him a 2-pack? Or will he be released as just a single monthly figure with a very large production run?

Both executions are certainly possible. Plus we have seen some great suggestions online for variants on the Troopers for different environments that might be fun to explore one day!

Oh man. Mike Bock is going to be devestated over answer #1...and I'm devestated over answer #3. :hmsad: Mattel's trademark for Sweet Bee is going to expire soon, I believe. What the heck is going on?! :sheek:

March 1, 2011, 11:31pm

Judeh Simon

Time to add Slush-Head, Flutterina, Peekablue, and Sweet bee to the 'who's not coming soon' list! :hmlol:

March 2, 2011, 12:27am

Mr_Yuck

Damn, that's a shame about Peekablue. She's one of the POP girls I'm most looking forward to (right after Frosta, of course :))

March 2, 2011, 12:53am

Jo-Ro

I wouldn't get too upset. TG said that Bow was not coming any time soon, and it was about a year later (it was supposed to be even less, because She-Ra switched places with him).

March 2, 2011, 01:51am

Darkspecter

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jo-Ro

I wouldn't get too upset. TG said that Bow was not coming any time soon, and it was about a year later (it was supposed to be even less, because She-Ra switched places with him).

It's true, when I was searching for a quote about the Weapon's Rack being $15 I found an answer saying Man-E-Faces wasn't planned...and that answer was from December or January. :hmlol:

I have my fingers crossed for Sweet Bee later this year! :shgrin:

March 2, 2011, 01:54am

PanMan

I must say that I love the blunt honesty in these answers. Good show! :hmgrin:

March 2, 2011, 02:04am

kagamigod

Well at least that's a better answer than "We cannot comment on any figures pass Man-E-Faces and Megator". I am glad however that they will lsten to as many fan suggestions on up-coming figures as they can like Slushhead.

March 2, 2011, 02:51am

Hosed Ovor

The straight forward answers were a pleasant surprise and a welcome change. I hope they continue.

March 2, 2011, 03:59am

MegaGearMax

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judeh Simon

Time to add Slush-Head, Flutterina, Peekablue, and Sweet bee to the 'who's not coming soon' list! :hmlol:

You know, I tried keeping score of that.

But it'a a euphemism for "We can't comment on any figures past Man-E-Faces right now!". Mattel has said that Whiplash wasn't planned anytime soon, only for Whiplash to show up at NYTF. Then last summer they said somewhere that the $40 item wasn't going to be a large scale beast, but then we get Megator.

I'm sure they've had to had discussions about the super hard characters during the super easy character months, like Clamp Champ, Glimmer or Oo-Larr.

March 2, 2011, 05:28am

Ealo

i guess if sweet bee is coming at the end of the year, they might not have done her yet - fingers crossed she turns up this year

March 2, 2011, 05:31am

Toymaker

How far in advance are these sculpted? As not in development "right now" could easily mean that the 4H are starting work on them tomorrow for the December figure!

March 2, 2011, 05:32am

Reboot

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jo-Ro

I wouldn't get too upset. TG said that Bow was not coming any time soon, and it was about a year later (it was supposed to be even less, because She-Ra switched places with him).

Plus, it said "neither" of the figures had been discussed... But there were three figures on the list ;) (One = not, two = neither, three+ = none)

March 2, 2011, 05:59am

mekaneckpain

funny how matty still insists that a flocked panthor was outvoted. they must be talking about some other SDCC vote that the fans never heard about.

March 2, 2011, 06:22am

Mr. Shokoti

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkspecter

Oh man. Mike Bock is going to be devestated over answer #1...and I'm devestated over answer #3. :hmsad: Mattel's trademark for Sweet Bee is going to expire soon, I believe. What the heck is going on?! :sheek:

I'm devastated and kinda skeptical about answer #4.:hmwink:

March 2, 2011, 07:21am

Reboot

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Shokoti

I'm devastated and kinda skeptical about answer #4.:hmwink:

Why sceptical? They didn't have samples for the SDCC vote, and after that it was clear they were going to do unflocked. Why waste time & effort on something they wouldn't be doing for at least a year?

March 2, 2011, 08:28am

Prahvus

It seems there are pretty poor possibilities for fans to ever get a flocked Panthor... or then, MAYBE much later in the line.

Interesting answers, anyway, even though I think they're not very positive ones.

Some of the nagging doubts I had seem to be confirmed, little by little.

March 2, 2011, 08:30am

thegrandchawhee

Quote:

Originally Posted by mekaneckpain

funny how matty still insists that a flocked panthor was outvoted. they must be talking about some other SDCC vote that the fans never heard about.

If I'd been shown samples of flocked and unflocked Panthor, (and given the opportunity to vote) I'd have probably voted for unflocked. Why cover up all that beautiful sculpting and detail?

Also, I'm never surprised when Mattel refuses to respond to questions regarding future figures. We as a fan community can be pretty hateful at times. Let's say that Mattel told us they were going to fill Slush Head with all the water we wanted, then something happened to prevent that. The psychofans would lynch 'em!

That being said, I'm still sad that Sy-Klone doesn't spin. I mean why not delay his production until a later time when they COULD make him spin. I mean that's what makes him Sy-Klone. That's like making a non-glowing Scare Glow. Still, I'm not angry with Mattel. I understand they need to keep costs down and profit margins wide. I mean we live in a time when it's not whether something is profitable, but how profitable it IS, that keeps it off the chopping block.

March 2, 2011, 09:00am

Tallstar

Loving the bluntness of these answers so much!

So SweetBee is more-than-likely not one of the two remaining gals for 2011. Castaspella may be out too because of the disc on her back. Trademarks-wise, that leaves Queen Marlena, Glimmer, and Rockseena. (if in fact Rockseena is a name intended for MOTUC)...but I supposed they could surprise us with other characters.

March 2, 2011, 09:29am

a-star

Quote:

Originally Posted by mekaneckpain

funny how matty still insists that a flocked panthor was outvoted. they must be talking about some other SDCC vote that the fans never heard about.

Well, they way they keep pointing it out apropos of nothing is rather suspect, but we really should let this one go (although it would be much easier if they would, too. Not looking forward to the discussions when Panthor is actually released).

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegrandchawhee

If I'd been shown samples of flocked and unflocked Panthor, (and given the opportunity to vote) I'd have probably voted for unflocked. Why cover up all that beautiful sculpting and detail?

That being said, I'm still sad that Sy-Klone doesn't spin. I mean why not delay his production until a later time when they COULD make him spin. I mean that's what makes him Sy-Klone. That's like making a non-glowing Scare Glow. Still, I'm not angry with Mattel. I understand they need to keep costs down and profit margins wide. I mean we live in a time when it's not whether something is profitable, but how profitable it IS, that keeps it off the chopping block.

I agree with you about Panthor. He really looks good without flocking, and if they had offered samples of both I think non-flocked would have actually won by a landslide.

It really is too bad about Sy-Clone, but I'm not too bent out of shape over it. I only display my figures at this point in life so the lack of certain action features doesn't bother me. Doing something like casting a figure in glow-in
-the-dark plastic is probably a lot easier than adding Fisto's punch mechanism.

March 2, 2011, 10:09am

slackrguy

Those are great questions, especially regarding the figures' sculpts/mechanics. There's been many comments about which figures are/aren't in development in this round of interviews across the net.

March 2, 2011, 10:18am

starbasetoys

I DON'T want "variations" for Horde Troopers! I want all of my Horde Troopers to look exactly alike!

This line urks the **** out of me every time I see it "We have such limited resources for the MOTUC line"

They could just say "we have better things to spend or money on" then making it sound like MOTUC lives month to month on a super shoesting budget.

And it's their own fault......with the quick sell-outs. They could be making much more money on MOTU if they sold more product. My Matty savings due to quick sell-outs are over $100.

March 2, 2011, 01:36pm

Prahvus

It seems like we might get many Horde Troopers variations. Personally, I'm not interested in that kind of variants. Give me 2 original Horde troopers plus "damaged" pieces, some weapons, one or two interchangeable heads, and I'm fine with the horde trooper army builder pack.

I don't need the Horde troopers to become like Star Wars' clones and their infinity of variants/repaints... :hmroll:

Obviously, Mattel jumped on that opportunity : making slight variations of a character is more interesting (and cheaper) for them than releasing more popular and individual characters.